This past Shabbat, Havayah teens had the opportunity to explore their personal connections to Judaism and their Jewish identities through art, photography, superheroes and theatre. Shabbaton participants registered to be in one of four tracks, which spent concentrated time focusing on our core curricular themes through that particular lens in addition to spending time with the broader Havayah community.

Learn about the many connections that exist between our favorite superheroes and Jewish history, values, stories and tradition. Discover the hero within you as we connect our personal identities, stories and Jewish values to our superpowers and develop a new league of superheroes. After all, it's not just who you are - but what you do that defines you...and, with great power, comes great responsibility!

With an understanding of the present and eye to the future, we learned about our past, specifically focusing on the influences that our ancestors had on the comic book industry. With our powers combined, our team took a look at our personal values, stories, experiences and shared what our visions of a superhero may look like that represents the typical "Jew Man" in Havayah and Temple Beth Elohim.

"After seeing the horrific realities of the world (death, destruction, starvation, global warming), Gold-Man set off to right these wrongs, restoring balance to the world. With a moral compass guiding his actions, Gold-Man uses his powers to change the mind sets of the people. His father once told him, "with great power, comes great influence. Change the world for the better, and you will become a hero to all." As he exacts justice, Gold-Man deals with the grey area of morality, ensuring that he doesn't take away free will from the people."

Explore the beautiful nature surrounding the Warren Conference Center through the lens of landscape painting. Learn to use watercolor and acrylic paint, and work towards creating a landscape painting exhibit that will be on display for several weeks at TBE. No prior art experience necessary. Bring warm layers that can get messy - we will be outside throughout much of the Shabbaton!

Painting can be a lens through which to view the world. While creating, you are forced to squint, stare, and explore the world in a new way. Judaism also provides ways to slow down, reflect, and see the holy in every day moments. Jews have traditionally recited blessings in order to elevate everyday actions such as waking up, eating, or washing hands.

Roxie Zalkind: Crazy Sky

When I was painting this, I was focusing mostly on the sky, and tiny bit of the top of the trees. The colors in the sky were able to reflect how random nature can seem. Its only when you look closely it all fits together like one gigantic puzzle.

Sophie Fennell: Light and Dark

I was inspired to paint this landscape because of the contrast between light and dark. Examples of this in the painting are the dark brown tree against the green grass and light sky, the brown trees in the background against the colorful sky and grass, and the juncture of the sunlit grass and the grass in the shadows.

Josh Lees: Twigs

I was inspired to paint these tree branches and twigs by “painter’s block.” Looking up at the sky and searching for something to paint resulted in this painting. I like this picture particularly because it can be look at from multiple different angles.

Hannah Snyder: Tree and Sun

When I first started painting I had trouble getting the colors right and making things sized properly. I realized that I needed to switch locations and choose something simpler that I could just focus on. I ended up choosing just a tree and the sun. Sometimes you need to pick the simpler thing because less can be more.

Isabel Silverston: In Focus

When I first stepped outside, there was so much to see but my eyes were drawn to the lampposts. There was something very beautiful about an old fashioned lamppost against a fall scene. I knew that if I focused on too many details, I wouldn’t come out with a completed piece of work so I decided to contrast a focused object against a blurred background. Blurring the background was surprisingly liberating and I tried to reflect the colors I saw and not the objects I saw.

Snapshots: Creating Your Spiritual Filter in the World Around YouMentor: Rabbi Josh Franklin

Do you love photography, or are you constantly posting to Instagram? Come focus your camera through a spiritual and Jewish lens. We will be taking photographs that are inspired by Jewish texts and prayers. We will showcase our artwork through a visual t'filah experience together!

This Shabbat, we read Lech L'cha - which literally means "go forth." The Torah takes us on a journey, as Abram, Sarai and Lot pack up and go to Canaan (Gen 12:1-9). There's confusion, struggle, separation...let's just say it's complicated. And finally, God establishes a covenant with Abram, now symbolized through circumcision on the eighth day following a male baby's birth (Gen 17:1-27). Backing up, what exactly is a journey?

Sometimes our minds jump to this:

...or the first exposure to the original for many of the students that I work with:

...or this might sound familiar:

Well, it's a bit more than a rock band, albeit a catchy one. We all have been on a journey at some point in our lives, be it a physical, emotional or spiritual one. We travel, we go places, we explore - sometimes with suitcases in hand, and other times while holding our tablets and mobile devices. Some journeys are for pleasure, and others are connected to business.

In Jewish education and youth engagement, we spend a lot of time talking about Jewish journeys. I know I definitely do. It's one of my favorite things to do when I take our teens out for coffee or froyo. We talk about where they've been, where they are now, and where they want to go. That's heavy lifting. And amazing conversation. I love my job. And going back to the text, God tells Abram to lech - go from his country, his family and everything he has known....to a land that God will show him. Vague? Yup! But...in return...God will make of him a great nation, will bless him, AND make his name great. Pretty great deal for Abram, right? It gets better. God promises to bless those who bless Abram, and curse those who curse him.

Imagine if we lived in a world where people did that for each other. One where our children, our friends, our families and our neighbors felt supported in the various journeys they endured - regardless of our race, religion, gender, learning styles and challenges...the list goes on. One where we could feel blessed about who we are and who we want to be, without anyone saying otherwise....or they would be cursed. One where everyone acknowledged, and appreciated the fact that we are each created b'tzelem Elohim - in the image of the divine. Don't stop believin'...indeed.

These places do, in fact, exist. Three places that immediately came to mind:

Get involved in our community at TBE. From youth groups, experiential learning opportunities and more for our youth to Living Torah 21, our community of adults who share in the fullness of Jewish life through learning and spirituality, caring and social justice - there are numerous pathways and entry points for youth and adult engagement in our kehilah kedoshah (holy community) on Bethel Road and beyond. Explore our websites - TBEWellesley.org and TBEYouth.org - and turn your passions into action as you navigate your Jewish journey!

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Karen Douglas, a Newton North High School senior who tragically took her own life in early October. When this happens in our community, all of us are affected. Our clergy, educators and staff are here to provide support for all of our students and families, especially our teens. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you are in need of pastoral and personal support. We have compiled a variety of resources surrounding suicide prevention and awareness, as well as a link to Adolescent Wellness, which provides a wonderful program iGrow (Interfaith Gathering ‘Round our Wellness”), in which several of our teens are involved. We hope you will refer to them and share your thoughts with us.

To say that I've heard the statement, "The High Holy Days are really early this year" just a few times throughout this summer would be an understatement. It's true. While many of us are wondering where the summer went, I'm still unpacking (both mentally and physically) from visiting our happy campers at the many wonderful Jewish overnight camps we are blessed to have throughout our region. Our team at TBE has been quite busy this summer planning for what promises to be an exciting year, filled with new and innovative programming, welcoming new members to our Clergy and Learning Teams and all of the wonderful intangibles that add to the kehilah kedoshah (holy community) that is Temple Beth Elohim.

Our tradition reminds us that these days leading up to Rosh Hashanah are an opportunity to prepare. We do not only prepare our building for services or our calendar for a full year of programming ahead - but we strive to prepare spiritually and personally, as well. The challenge, through all of the scheduling, carpooling, working and back-to-routineing that fills this time of year, is to find your own time for reflection and renewal. Ha! While that may sound like a joke, it's actually a quite serious and important concept. At some point, we all need to hit the pause button, take a deep breath, look around us and re-calibrate our priorities and actions to line up with our values and what's important to us as we begin the new year. So...a challenge. To myself, and to you. As we enter Shabbat, hit that pause button. Be thankful to all of the wonderful things that have been going on this summer, and look forward to many more in the coming months. But reach a little further back. Think about the past year - the good stuff, and the challenges. How can we do better in the coming year? How can we make it more fulfilling? How can we improve ourselves and our interactions with others? How are we spending our time? Where can we make a few slight adjustments to ensure we're engaging in meaningful things and spending time with those individuals and communities in our lives that challenge us be the best version of ourselves?

As for me? I'm starting my reflection process in the best way I possibly can. I'm spending Shabbat with 14 of our BELY/Havayah teens, along with 120 other Jewish teens from around the region, at NFTY Northeast Summer Institute at URJ Crane Lake Camp. During the days, I'm going to be teaching, eating, praying, learning, singing and playing. And at night, I'm going to think, read and write. Not such a bad way to wind down my summer and begin my personal reflection process. I'll be sure to post a few photos on our Facebook page!

Jewish Actors Workshop (JAWs) is one of the many chavurot (affinity-based groups) that are offered through Havayah: The Teen Community at Temple Beth Elohim. In JAWs, 8th-12th graders gather together weekly to share in their passion and love of theater through a Jewish lens. Each year, JAWs participants study, rehearse, and perform in a Cabaret of musical theatre selections in the fall and a fully staged musical in the spring. This year, we are incredibly excited to present Jason Robert Brown's new musical "13."

13 tells the story of Evan Goldman, a teenager who's entire life changes when his mother decides to move from New York City to Appleton, Indiana after a difficult divorce from Evan's father. Evan finds himself having to make new friends and get "in" with the cool kids at school while he's in the midst of preparing for his bar mitzvah. If he can't get all of the coolest kids to come to his bar mitzvah party, his social life may be doomed. But, as Evan keeps trying to make his plan work, he begins to realize that being one of the cool kids isn't necessarily the most important thing. The show features a rock score by Broadway's award-winning composer, Jason Robert Brown, also known for Songs for a New World, The Last 5 Years, and Parade.

One of the magical things about JAWs, Havayah, and Temple Beth Elohim is that building community is at the core of everything we do. While most theater groups are mainly interested in producing plays, that's not really enough for our teens at TBE. The JAWs participants are working with our 12 and 13 year olds in BM3T (The B'nai Mitzvah Magical Mystery Tour) to help them explore what this piece of theater has to offer. The message of 13 is mainly that being 13 is not easy. There's a lot of pressure and a lot of confusion. But 13 also teaches that as long as you stay true to who you really are, everything will work out fine in the end. While life may seem like an overwhelming roller coaster, we keep living it, we keep making choices, and we keep growing.

JAWs also celebrates TBE's close relationship with The Rashi School in Dedham, where many TBE members attend school, and where we present our annual musical production. It's a great gift to be able to work with the talented educators at The Rashi School to create a really meaningful and fun event for the Jewish community each spring. We hope you'll be able to join us at The Rashi School on Saturday, April 27 at 8pm and on Sunday, April 28 at 7pm, completely free of charge. What better way could there be to celebrate the Jewish community in greater Boston than coming out to see the future of our community working together to explore these important messages about growing up and living Jewishly! Click on the image above to view an enlarged version of the flyer, and contact us if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you at the theater!

What a week we had in BM3T! The smell of caramel, chocolate and matzah perfumed the air of the Community Kitchen last week, and the hallways of TBE rang with the sounds of seventh graders kicking around a soccer ball or playing drama games. Upstairs, more seventh graders laughed as they recounted their most memorable moments in school and animatedly discussed the qualities of their favorite teachers. This was the kickoff of our 6-week “Taste of Havayah” program, where all TBE Seventh Graders spend time with their friends “tasting” a bit of what we have to offer in Havayah: The Teen Community at Temple Beth Elohim, and hearing first-hand from many of our teens who are involved in a number of programs and groups at TBE. From interest-based learning groups to retreats and trips, to youth group programs and leadership development, to fun social events, Havayah is the place for all TBE teens to learn, grow, connect Jewishly and build lasting relationships with each other and the TBE Youth Team. Over 130 TBE teens are already experiences the amazing fun, friends and leadership opportunities that Havayah offers! In the coming weeks, all Seventh Graders will have the chance to experience or “taste” their choice of 2 Havayah Chavurot (interest-based learning groups). This program is designed to help our Seventh Graders find their passion and get excited for the coming high school years at TBE! Current Taste of Havayah options include: JAWs (Jewish Actors’ Workshop), Tastes of Judaism (cooking), Chai Five (sports and Jewish values), Madrichim (teacher’s assistant training), Songleading and Choir. Next year, we are also considering additional Chavurot and learning experiences, based on feedback from our Seventh Graders and currently-enrolled Havayah teens. Also, don't forget that the Jew Man Group and It's A Girl Thing experiences continue into Havayah! Check out some photos from our kickoff days (see below), take some time to navigate through the Havayah section on our website, and let us know if you have any questions or want to know more about Havayah! Dr. Judy Avnery, Director of Limud & BM3TLaura Hyman, Director of Havayah & Beit Midrash

By Hannah Elbaum and Noam KahnTikkun Olam, Jewish Identity, Leadership and Israel. These values of the Diller Teen Fellows are present in everything we do. In eight North American cities, and eight Israeli cities, 20 sophomores and juniors apply and are chosen to be part of this amazing 15-month experience. We (Hannah Elbaum and Noam Kahn) were accepted last spring to be a part of the Boston cohort, a total of twenty teenagers from all around the greater Boston area.

To develop our leadership skills, learn more about Judaism, both traditionally and spiritually, and explore our relationship with Israel, the cohort meets for monthly workshops and goes on three retreats. We are joined by the Israeli teens (Haifa cohort) in March for a 10-day North American Seminar and the three-week Summer Israel Seminar. The Israel Seminar is not just a teen tour trip, it is truly an in depth look at Israel, the people, history and our own connections to the Holy Land. At the end of the fifteen months, the fellows work in small groups to develop our very own Tikkun Olam projects, using the skills we have learned. Due to the pluralistic emphasis of the program, during all our programs and events we keep kosher and respect each other’s religious observances. Because each person has their own level of traditional observance, it is a learning experience for all of us, either to be with people who do not touch the light switch on Shabbat, to those who feel comfortable texting their friends.

So far, we have had two workshops and one retreat. Our workshops are generally four hours long and at the JCC of Boston, consisting of thought provoking, yet incredibly fun programs, and time for us to get to know each other better. In our last one, we had a “Jewish Identity Buffet.” We each took slips of paper from a long table that had statements we agreed with or believed, and left the ones we did not agree with or understand. (There was candy that we got to eat, too.) After small group discussions of our choices, we came back together as a group and spent some time talking about some surprising discoveries. We also spend time learning about each other much more informally, with games like “The Wind Blows For…” and “5 Minute Hot Seat.” One of the very first things we did at the first workshop was to write letters to ourselves that we will read at the end of out fifteen-month journey. For our next workshop, we participated in a day of Jewish learning run by LimmudBoston.In November, we had our first retreat! It was amazing for all of us to spend a solid 48 hours together and really bond as a group. There were too many amazing programs and moments to list here, so we will just mention a few. At our first workshop we created a list of ten different qualities we want to have as a group. We had a “Chalk Talk” (actually a Marker Talk, but that doesn’t sound as fun), with each trait on a piece of paper. After being given a marker, we walked up to the papers and wrote times during our retreat where we saw them in action.

Later that evening, we did a trust walk where each person, blindfolded, was placed in a line and instructed to hold the hand of the person next to them. With a staff leader and a few called out direction (“There is a tree of your left, and a puddle on your right”) we made our way slowly through the woods, putting all our trust in the person leading us. Reaching the gym and walking down a flight of stairs, we were separated, giving us a sense of trusting each and every person, as we did not know who was in front of us. We were placed spaced out in the pitch-black gym and given glow sticks to crack as we answered what our goals, and then fears are for this year. Then we had a campfire with s’mores!

This activity was part of that night’s Maagal Lila, a circle we do every night. These times are when we learn more about each other as people, and not just our religious practices, or opinions on today’s controversial issues. The best part? Maagal Lila ends with hugs for everyone!

There is no way to explain how close we have gotten with these people without us pretty much melting into a pile of goo, explaining how much we love them. None of us realized on Friday that we were more or less still strangers to each other, and within about 2 hours, that had changed. Living in such close proximity, as well as being Shomer Shabbos (keeping Shabbat) allowed us to develop relationships that made us not want to leave on Sunday afternoon. None of us really know how that happened, we just know that it did, and now we are all best friends.

Hannah Elbaum is a sophomore at Newton South High School. Hannah currently serves as Vice President of Religion and Culture on the BELY Board, is an active member of Havayah: the Teen Community at Temple Beth Elohim, and spent last summer at Kutz: NFTY's Campus for Reform Jewish Teens. You can read her blog post about that, too!

Noam Kahn is a junior at Needham High School. Noam currently serves as the Chanukah Carnival Co-Chair on the BELY Board, and as an active member of Havayah: the Teen Community at Temple Beth Elohim.

Temple Beth Elohim is extremely proud of our teens who are involved in the Greater Boston Jewish community! Visit the Boston JCC website to learn more about the JCC Diller Teen Fellowship, or speak to Hannah, Noam, or a member of the TBE Youth Programs Team.

As our teens arrived on Friday afternoon, we were quickly reminded of why our Havayah community is so special. Dropping their luggage, participants eagerly greeted each other and transitioned into some teen-led mixer activities to launch our Shabbaton. Shabbatonim (retreats) are one of the highlights of the Havayah program, with TBE teens in Grades 8-10 coming together as a community at camp or a local retreat center for incredible, relaxing Shabbat weekends of learning, community-building and fun! Together with members of our clergy and the TBE Youth Programs team, teens participate in Shabbat services, engage in social and team-building activities, and spend free time with friends (both old and new).

This year, our Shabbaton curriculum is focused on the theme of SEEKER, asking the questions:

What am I looking for as a Jewish teen?How do I find my unique place in the community?How do I connect with God and spirituality?What are the challenges in my life today, and how can I find support and meaning in Judaism?

Shabbat dinner is always a highlight at our Shabbatonim, as we gather as a community to welcome Shabbat, eat, spend time with friends, sing songs and appreciate the kehilah kedoshah (holy community) that we have built.

Our programming on Saturday focused on identifying and strengthening the connections we have in our lives, that we have with ourselves, each other, the communities we belong to, the places we spend time at...in addition to the connections we seek to create and build in the future. Many thanks to our teens for helping to build what is truly a kehilah kedoshah (holy community). The sacred space and moments we create together are inspiring and motivating. Also, we have a number of juniors and seniors who help create, write, implement and lead the programming that goes on at our Shabbatonim. It is largely because of their dedication and creativity that we continue to raise the bar for our teen community, and we are consistently amazed at how talented and passionate they are.

In addition to our programming and Shabbat experience, we had the opportunity to briefly discuss and reflect on the current situation in Israel. Our prayers and hearts are certainly with our friends, family and the people of Israel, and we pray for peace and a speedy resolution. Emily Langowitz, a TBE member and proud Havayah alumna who is currently in her first year of Rabbinical School at Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion, is spending the year studying in Jerusalem. She took a few moments to share some of her thoughts with our teens, and encouraged us to educate ourselves, keep asking questions and stay informed. See below to hear Emily's remarks:

Havayah Seeker Playlist

Check back soon for links to the songs we sang and listened to during the Shabbaton!

For the 16th time, I'm packing for camp. This weekend is Senior Staff Orientation at URJ Eisner Camp, where I will be spending my summer as one of the Machon (counselor and leadership training program) Directors. When the calendar turns over to June, the camp countdowns, blog posts and newspaper articles about the importance of camp overflow on my Facebook newsfeed and Twitter account. I've been doing this for a long time, but I still feel like that 5th grader every time I drive through the gates and return to my home away from home. It's the community, it's the songs, and it's the place. It's a tradition that is so much a part of me. Summer = camp. And so it begins. Throughout the summer, TBE Youth Programs Staff will be sharing their adventures on this blog. Some of us will be spending the summer at camp. Others will be visiting our TBE campers at their camps. And others will be busy planning for what promises to be a truly amazing year ahead at TBE as we continue to expand our programs, build and strengthen our community and continue to navigate our Jewish journeys. But...before we part ways, a few thoughts:

1. Join us this weekend for our Havayah Jewish Actors Workshop performances of Fiddler on the Roof at The Rashi School. Our teens (along with members of the TBE Choirs) exemplify what kehilah kedoshah (holy community) truly means. For more information, click here to view the event on our Facebook page. Performances are on Saturday and Sunday, and are open to the public free of charge. We hope you'll be able to attend! After all, it's tradition! :)

2. While you're making your plans this summer, start thinking about next summer and the opportunities to send your child to Jewish overnight camp. Hannah and I would love to talk about camp with you, since...well...we love Jewish Camp!

Click on the image above to check-out our Jewish camping initiative section of this website. Over the next few weeks as we count down to Opening Day 2012 when over 250 TBE campers will spend their summers at Jewish overnight camps throughout our region, we'll be posting articles and information on this blog about the Jewish overnight camp experience, and how it connects to what we do all year long at TBE. Please let us know if you have any questions, or if there is specific information we can provide you with in connection to our Jewish camping initiative.

3. To stay up-to-date on our summer adventures, like our Facebook page and follow-us on Twitter. We would love to stay in touch over the summer...and hear about your adventures, too!